How to Repair a Single Board in Pergo Floors

Any appreciable damage to a Pergo floorboard usually means replacing it.

Pergo laminate flooring is durable, but it won't hold up to everything. When you damage a single board, you have a few options for making the repair. You can usually take care of minor scratches and scuffs without much trouble, but a break or split using means replacing the board. Pergo floors aren't glued down, so you can always disassemble one to remove a damaged board. This may not be practical, however, if the room is full of furniture and the damaged board is in the middle of the floor. In that case, you can cut the board out to make the switch.

1

Fix scratches and minor blemishes with a repair kit, available from a Pergo dealer. Match the kit to the model number of your flooring to ensure a color match. Apply the patching compound to the defects with the applicator that comes in the kit.

2

Disassemble the floor to remove a board that is cracked, scraped or otherwise seriously damaged. This option is best if the board is near a wall that runs parallel to the floor boards.

3

Pry off the baseboards long the wall nearest the damaged and the two walls perpendicular to that one with a pry bar. Work one of the corner boards toward the wall with a rubber grouting float and remove it. Slide the other boards in that row toward the gap and then push them toward the wall and remove them. Stack them in order.

4

Continue disassembling rows until you get to the damaged board. Replace it, then put the boards back in the order you removed them and replace the baseboards with finish nails and a hammer.

5

Cut the damaged board out of the floor if disassembling the floor is impractical. To do this, you need a circular saw with the cutting depth of its blade set to slightly more than the thickness of the flooring.

6

Draw a rectangle on the board about 2 inches from the edges with a straightedge and pencil. Drill a 1/2-inch hole through each corner of the rectangle, then cut around the outline with the saw and remove the center section.

7

Make four diagonal cuts from the corners of the rectangle to the corners of the board, stopping just short of the edge of the board. Finish each cut with a hammer and chisel. Pull out all the triangular sections and clean up the edges of the boards that remain.

8

Trim the bottoms of the grooves off of a replacement board with a utility knife, then use the knife to cut the tongue off of the end. Spread carpenter's glue on the undersides of the grooves that remain with an artist's brush.

9

Hook the remaining tongue of the board into the groove of the adjacent one and lower and lower the board into place. Push down to make a good glue bond, then place a weight, such as a 5-gallon bucket filled with water, on the board to hold it down while the glue dries.

Things You Will Need

Pergo repair kit

Pry bar

Rubber grouting float

Finish nails

Hammer

Circular saw

Straightedge

Pencil

Drill

1/2-inch drill bit

Chisel

Utility knife

Carpenter's glue

Artist's brush

Weight

Tips

If you get glue on the surface of the floor, wipe it off with a damp rag before it dries.

When reinstalling baseboard, always nail into the wall plate, never the floor.

About the Author

A love of fundamental mysteries led Chris Deziel to obtain a bachelor's degree in physics and a master's degree in humanities. A prolific carpenter, home renovator and furniture restorer, Deziel has been active in the building and home design trades since 1975. As a landscape builder, he helped establish two gardening companies.